PRINCE Harry is set to return to the UK next week for an Invictus event, but Meghan Markle may “snub” a visit to “avoid boos”, claims a royal expert.
ITV News‘ royal correspondent Chris Ship shared how he’d witnessed Prince Harry excitedly introducing Meghan as his girlfriend at the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto.
A besotted Prince Harry and his then-American actress girlfriend had looked every inch the loved-up couple being spotted hand-in-hand at their first public engagement together.
Speaking on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show, Chris said: “The first one [Invictus event] was in London and then there was one in Florida, and we’ve had Toronto where he first introduced Meghan to the world.
“I remember being there as she walked into that court, in Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto.”
Following Meghan’s triumphant Invictus introduction and later their fairytale royal wedding in 2018, support for the couple initially was huge.
However, seven years down the line Chris claims Meghan now will skip the upcoming event on Wednesday over fears of a negative reception.
Chris told The Sun’s Royal Editor Matt Wilkinson: “He’s [Harry’s} coming back to mark the 10th anniversary of Invictus.
“He’s going to give a reading at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
“Meghan’s not coming with him, so no Duchess of Sussex.”
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The Duchess of Sussex, 42, has reportedly opted to stay in the couple’s £12million Montecito mansion in California with their kids Archie and Lilibet over fears about a “hostile reception”.
The couple’s brutal attack on the royals in their March 2021 interview with pal Oprah Winfrey was followed by their Netflix series Harry & Meghan.
Harry gained more criticism for his hard-hitting memoir Spare, published in January, 2023.
The couple have lashed out at King Charles, Camilla, William and Kate since quitting The Firm and moving to California.
Following Harry and Meghan being booed as they exited their car at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022, Chris claimed that Meghan is now terrified of it happening for a second time.
He said: “The difficulty is you remember last time they went to St Paul’s Cathedral, which was for the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, they got booed.
“We heard the boos for them. We should be clear there was also people cheering for them, but there were definitely boos at St Paul’s Cathedral.
“So going back there I can see why Meghan may not wish to accompany Harry there.”
An insider added that Meghan had “shown no interest” in coming back to the UK.
She has not been in the UK since attending Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September 2022
The difficulty is you remember last time they went to St Paul’s Cathedral, which was for the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, they got booed
Chris Ship
Harry and Meghan’s Nigeria trip
After Harry’s short trip to Britain, he and Meghan will head to Nigeria for the next stop on his Invictus Games tour.
However Meghan, who is of Nigerian descent, will join Harry afterwards as they head to Africa.
The couple will take part in “cultural activities” after they were invited by the west African country’s chief of defence staff.
In Harry and Meghan’s first trip to the country as a couple, they will meet service members and their families, and participate in traditional cultural activities, according to Nigerian media.
